


Every Yuletide

by EndoratheWitch



Category: Strange Magic (2015)
Genre: Canon Universe, F/M, Family Fluff, Holiday, Secret Santa, Snow, Yuletide, hot coco, large amount of children
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 17:35:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9000208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EndoratheWitch/pseuds/EndoratheWitch
Summary: The family gathers for the celebration of Yuletide.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MissSunFlower94](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissSunFlower94/gifts).



> My secret Santa gift for http://dainesanddaffodils.tumblr.com/ I hope you don't mind the liberties I took with the names for Dawn and Sunny's children...all of which mean "sky" and I hope I got all the kids straight!  
> Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

The wind outside howled as the storm rolled over the Dark Forest. Snow had just started to fall in fat white flakes when Prim and Rose squealed in chorus. 

“It's SNOWING!!” 

Their oldest brother, BK, looked up from where he had been trying to read, his long legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. He glanced at the twins giving them his big brother patent glare #1 on his face. The twins completely ignored him rushing past him to grab Laurel by her hands and yank their sister to her feet. 

“Take us outside, Baby!! PLEASE!!” they sang. 

Laurel laughed. “You know Mother and Father don't want us going outside right now. Besides, do you two even know where your wing coverings are?” 

The twins glanced at one another and seemed to share some sort of communication before they turned back to give their sister with pleading looks. “Please!!” 

Laurel laughed softly. The twins sensed impending victory when their brother spoke up. 

BK, without looking up from his book muttered, “You go out there, I'm going to haul you both back in by your ears and string you up in front of the fire to warm up.” 

Prim wrinkled his nose at his big brother. “Spoil sport.” 

“I am not a spoil sport. I am a big brother looking out for his siblings who are too silly to look out for themselves,” he answered without looking up from his book, not even once, but the twins knew from experience that even if BK didn't seem to be paying attention...he was... 

Before Prim, with a devilish look on his sweet little face, could prod his older brother into getting up and wrestling him to the floor to be tortured with tickles, Acacia came walking into the main family room. She was graceful, her tall lean figure displaying elegance and poise as she stepped into the room, but at the same time seemed to be vibrating with pent up energy. She was carrying a tray on which sat several steaming carved wooden mugs. The scent of warm chocolate filled the family space. Acacia focused her attention on stepping carefully, her wings laying flat against her long lean back so that she would not accidentally trip. 

“Anyone want some coco?” she asked with a bright grin.. 

Prim and Rose squealed in unison. “Yes!!” 

BK sighed. “Did you make them or did Sarra? I heard her in the kitchen singing with you.” 

Acacia wrinkled her nose at her brother. “Oh stop, ya big grump. Sarra can cook just fine. But yes, I made them.” 

BK held out his hand making a “gimme” motion without looking up from his book. Acacia sighed and handed a mug to her brother just as the twins ran up to snatch their own mugs. 

Once Prim and Rose were armed with hot chocolate, they immediately ran back to curl in front of the window and watch the snow falling, whispering amongst themselves. 

“So where are mommy and daddy?” Linden, who had been sitting quietly on the floor dipping the tips of his claws into one of several pots he had sitting around him. Each pot contained a bright and vivid color. He was busily painting a picture of fairies. His little face was screwed up with concentration, the edge of a fang just visible while he chewed on his bottom lip in concentration. 

Chrissy sat next to her little brother watching him paint, her nose wrinkled as she tried to figure out what exactly he was going for with all the bright colors. Her soft brown hair contained a few streaks of paint where Linden had reached out and touched her hair, tilting his head while telling her that purple was pretty on her. Acacia finished handing out mugs to her other siblings before she took her one, and the one for Sarra and set them over on one of the many side tables in the large room. She sat down curling her long legs under her. She picked up her mug and held it under her nose with a satisfied smile. She spoke quietly while warming her nose over the coco. “They should be here soon. Grandma said they were trekking out to the old oak to offer their thanks and would be back by dinner,” Acacia said softly. 

The twins had stayed over by the window with their cups talking quietly and giggling. BK fixed them with patent glare #2 which clearly stated without a word that he knew they were trying to hatch a plan to escape outside. The twins looked over at their brother, both of them models of innocence before looking away and giggling again. 

Sarra came flying through the doorway, her bright smile plastered on her face, her golden hair looking wild and unkempt. 

“Oh, I am so glad we all get to be together like this!!” She landed throwing her arms up with a smile. “I feel like singing!!!” 

BK frowned, but Acacia reached out to take Sarra's hand. “Drink your chocolate before it gets cold.” Sarra gasped. “Oh yeah—hot coco!! I almost forgot!” She swooped down to sit next to Acacia with a happy giggle, wiggling her rear onto the seat and curling up next to her sister. 

The royal children sat together chatting happily and sipping their drinks when they heard a commotion outside the royal chamber doors. Within minutes of the room beginning to settle into something resembling quiet, the doors where flung open to reveal their Aunt Dawn and her husband, Uncle Sunny. 

“AUNTIE DAWN!!” The twins launched themselves at their aunt nearly taking her down. Sunny laughed walking in beside his wife and reached up to hug Acacia when she came over too. Their triplets, who came waltzing in after their parents, were the eldest of all the children present. The two girls, who looked like their mother were bright and lovely fairies like their mother. They each carried names related to the wind, which suited them perfectly. They were identical with dark blonde hair and light blue eyes. Allea, whose name meant whirlwind, was the “oldest” and whirlwind suited her perfectly. Her personality was bright and happy, but she could come into a room and swirl around it with her bright personality leaving anyone she met feeling as if they had been caught in a storm. Her twin sister Ilma followed right next to her, but where Allea was a burst of energy, Ilma was a soft, quiet girl with the brightest smile, a smile that could simply bring warmth to a room. 

Their brother Celio, (fraternal to the girls who were identical) looked much more like their father. He was taller than an elf, though not as tall as a fairy. He was slim, but his skin was darker and he had a smattering of freckles across his nose. Celio also had his father's unruly hair (which he ended up keeping tied back) and bright smile. He, like Linden, was wingless, though he had found many interesting (and sometimes dangerous) ways to keep up wit his sisters and his cousins. Like his father, Celio was energetic and simply brought happiness with him when he entered a room. 

After a very exuberant round of hugs and kisses that seemed to last forever, at least to Linden and Chrissy, who both felt that a giant group hug would not only be much more economical on time, but a great deal of fun, everyone started to settle down, finding comfortable places to sit together. 

Dawn looked around removing her wing coverings after taking off her rabbit fur coat. 

“Where are you parents?” 

BK, who had reclaimed his chair, answered in his typically calm voice. “They went to the old oak.” 

“Oh.” Dawn smiled at that news. “That is so sweet that they still do that every year.” 

Sunny nodded while he gathered his family's coats to put away. “Yeah it is.” 

Linden looked up, confusion written in the features of his little goblin face. “Why Auntie Dawn?” 

“Well...before BK was born...” She sat down next to Linden and his paint set. “You're mommy and daddy were having a very difficult time. They wanted a baby together, but your mommy couldn't seem to get pregnant—until they went to the oak and asked for help. Not long after that, your mommy found out that she was going to have BK.” 

BK looked up from his book with a slight blush. 

“So that is why your mommy and daddy go out to the old oak every Yule Time...just their way of saying thank you for their gift.” 

Linden glanced over at his big brother. “So BK was a gift?” 

Dawn nodded and Linden frowned. “Are we all gifts?” 

“Yes, you are.” Dawn reached out and booped Linden's nose. Linden grinned his goblin grin as he leaned close to his aunt and whispered, “It's too bad they made BK such a grumpy gift.” 

Dawn snorted, swiftly covering up a laugh. BK put his book down and shot one of his many glares at his littlest brother. 

“Oh you're in trouble now, ya little wart!” BK was grinning as he jumped up from his seat. Linden was on his feet laughing a little goblin laugh and taking off at a run to avoid his big brother's very ticklish fingers. 

Dawn and Chrissy moved swiftly to grab the paints off the floor as the other children started squealing and laughing. BK caught his baby brother, lifting him high in the air to blow on his stomach. 

That was the moment grandma Griselda and grandfather Dagda came into the room, side by side, the king and the queen mother both carrying trays of goblin and fairy treats. 

Griselda laughed. “Alright! All of you pipe down and act like royalty!” 

Dagda couldn't help the full belly laugh that rolled up seeing all of his grandchildren together. 

The room was filled with love, laughter and the unique warmth of love. If anyone had asked the king how he saw his future grandchildren, he would never in a million years have described the scene before him. But as he carefully tried to get to a table to place the tray of cookies, he was thankful for this room full of children, all of whom he loved deeply. 

Dagda found a safe corner, grabbing up Chrissy who ran over to her Poopa—as she liked to call him—and sat in his lap. Poopa wrapped his arms around his granddaughter watching as Prim and Rose tackled BK and Linden to the floor just as Dawn's triplets decided to help BK in tickling Linden which of course led to all the other children becoming involved in a full on tickle war. 

Dagda glanced over at Griselda who, standing with her hands on her hips, watched the chaos with a wide grin. Her dark eyes met Dagda's, the two of them sharing a smile. 

* 

Outside Bog and Marianne walked through the snow toward the ancient oak. Not one creature had tread across the snow since it fell last night; the landscape was a pure, untouched magical blanket before them. Marianne was wrapped up snugly in a thick rabbet and deer fur coat, her wings had another layer of warmth wrapped around them, sleeves made of spider silk blended with more rabbit fur to keep the delicate limbs warm and protected. She had the hood of her coat up and rabbit fur boots on her legs along with a pair of matching mittens that Bog had had made for her. Bog walked beside her, his wings also covered and wearing a coat of lizard skins, lined inside with rabbit fur as well, though he didn't have his hood and he walked barefoot. 

They walked hand in hand following the trail they both knew so well that led up to the ancient oak. This time of the day it was quiet, the only sound the occasional stirring of the wind through the bare branches and the light crunch of snow as they walked. 

Marianne's cheeks were rosy as she grinned. “Remember that first winter before we had BK, walking out here, just the two of us?” 

Bog nodded squeezing her hand. “Aye, I do. Though that winter was not nearly as mild as this one,” he recalled. 

Marianne nodded. “I remember. The wind was biting and the snow was so thick!” 

Bog grinned down at her. “I do remember how we warmed up that night though.” He waggled his eyebrows at her. Marianne blushed redder under her already rosy complexion elbowing her husband in the side. 

Bog laughed twirling her around into his arms. 

“You know what I want this Yule?” Bog leaned down to rub his sharply pointed nose with hers. 

Marianne rubbed her nose against his in return. “What?” 

“More of the same...this...you, me, the children...to continue...just like we are...” Bog brushed his lips across hers. 

Marianne smirked. “No chances at all?” 

Bog laughed. “You know what I mean, tough girl. This kind of happiness...I want to always have this with you.” Bog pulled her hand up to kiss her knuckles. His lips against the mittens still managed to send a burning heat through her skin. When he dropped her hand Marianne wrapped her arms around him tightly burying her face against his chest. 

Bog wrapped his arms around her too. They stood there for a few minutes, fluffy white flakes sailing down on the breeze. 

“We better get to the oak and back or the children will have eaten everything,” Bog mused. “You would think they were a bunch of goblins.” 

Marianne laughed. 

They turned and walked a few more yards until they were at the base of the ancient oak. Offerings that had been left there before during the warmer months were now hidden under layers of snow. No one had come out here since winter; none except the two of them. 

Marianne pulled out a bundle from inside her cloak. It was a bag of warm summer leaves, tied with a ribbon of raw dye-spider silk in a deep purplish blue matching the color of the first flower Bog ever gave her. She smiled at Bog as she held it up. “Inside are primroses held in perfect preservation by a spell Plum put on them for me...a thank you for the love that is in my life and the future to be filled constantly with love.” 

Bog smiled reaching out to stroke her winter chilled cheek. 

She kissed his claw before kneeling down in front of the oak and placing the bundle where it would go between the roots (if they were not snow covered). 

Bog grinned and pulled out his own bundle from inside his cloak. His was wrapped in thin layers of tree bark that were bleached white like the snow. Around it was a simple wrap of twine. Bog glanced at his wife. “This bundle contains a lock of hair from each of our children. It is a gift asking for their continued health and a thank you for the love the great spirit brought into our lives.” 

He set the bundled gift next to his wife's before wrapping an arm around her shoulders and tugging her close. 

“We are very lucky, my love.” His words were warm, the chill air turning them into puffs of steam that floated up into the branches of the trees. 

Marianne smirked looking up at him. “I suppose in a way, we have Roland to thank for all our happiness.” 

Bog's smile dropped and he looked down his nose at his wife. She started to giggle. “Oh come on Bog, you know it's true.” 

“Aye, but I donna have to admit it, now do I?” Bog gave her a stern look that was countered by the hint of amusement sitting at the corner of his lips. 

“Let's get back tough girl. The children have probably eaten everything and your sister has them singing some awful song at the top of the their lungs. Plus, the cold seems to be addling your brain.” He grinned turning her around. 

Marianne elbowed him hard enough in the side that he made a muffled, “Owff...” sound bending over slightly to grab his side, but she let him start the trek back home. 

* 

Once back home, the couple were indeed greeted with the sounds of extremely loud singing, not all of it good, but all of it happy and heartfelt. When Bog opened the doors, his gaggle of children erupted into happy exclamations. “Mamma!! Da!!” 

The younger siblings ran to their parents throwing themselves at them while the older ones were a little bit more “regal” in their approach, though BK hugged his mother and father tightly whispering, “We're so glad you're back.” 

Marianne squeezed her eldest. “Glad to be back my darling.” 

BK blushed taking a step back from his mother only to be enveloped in a tight hug from his father who lifted the boy off his feet much to BK's embarrassment, but also his enjoyment. 

* 

Soon the families were all settled around the roaring fireplace, with chocolate drinks, the little one having drifted off in laps. Bog stroked the tips of his claws over Linden's head, the little boy's head resting on his father's lap with Chrissy tucked under Bog's other arm. Sarra leaned against her mother and the rest of the children scattered around the room. Dawn sat with Sunny, who sat between his wife's legs, their three children around them while Dagda (the twins sleepily laying with their heads on their grandfather's lap) and Griselda sat next to one another sharing in peaceful delight with the scene before them. 

Dawn grinned at Marianne and started to sing softly. Marianne quirked a brow. She knew the song; it was an old favorite of their mother's. She would sing it every Yule time when the girls were small. Neither of them had sung the song for years after her death until Dawn and Marianne began having their own children. Now the tune was back to being part of their family, part of the love and legacy that was their mother. 

While the young women sang, Marianne holding the hand of her Bog King and Dawn's arms circling the elf she loved, Dagda sighed contentedly. 

This was not the future he had envisioned for his daughters...far from it, in fact. But this was definitely the happiness he had wanted for them. He glanced down at the twins in his lap stroking their hair. They snuggled peacefully against their grandfather with small mischievous smiles on their faces. Dagda then glanced back up to take in the room full of love and warmth. 

He hoped that wherever his wife was, wherever it was that she waited for him, that she could see this, if only for a moment, to know that her daughters how found love and loved in return. He hoped she knew that her legacy lived on in the bright smiling faces of each of the children that occupied this room, in the love both his daughters fought for... 

Dagda felt himself becoming teary eyed and reached up to wipe his eyes before anyone saw, but Griselda reached out and took his hand surprising the aging King. 

She smiled. “I know exactly how you feel. If my Bogach were here he would be happy to see this too.” 

Dagda smiled. “Yes...we each miss our loved one, but it's nice to see that the love continues.” 

Griselda nodded giving Dadga's hand a warm squeeze. 

“We are a couple of lucky old sods.” 

Dadga laughed. “That we are, that we are...”


End file.
